title: Human Herpesvirus 8 Infections and AIDS-Associated Kaposi Sarcoma in Zaria, Northern Nigeria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Studies on human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) infection in patients with AIDS-associated Kaposi sarcoma (AIDS-KS), from Nigeria are lacking. We examined the seroprevalence of HHV8 infection in patients with AIDS-KS presenting to Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, Nigeria, and also described their clinical presentation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 20 (11 males and 9 females) histologically confirmed adults with AIDS-KS were recruited consecutively in 2007. The clinical types of lesions, associated diseases, and the AIDS clinical trial group staging of AIDS-KS were noted. Anti-lytic HHV8 antibodies were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Kaposi sarcoma skin lesions were diverse but mostly nodules (19 cases) and papules (16). Majority (18 cases) had poor risk AIDS-KS, with 10 (50%) patients having concomitant opportunistic infections and 3 (15%) patients having generalized skin lesions. Females had a more severe disease. Seventeen patients (85%) were HHV8-seropositive.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AIDS-KS is associated with high HHV8 infection and presents with a variety of skin manifestations that are often aggressive, advanced, and worse in females.
authors.affiliation: Immunology unit, Department of Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, Nigeria, dimostic@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Dimie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ogoina
authors.forename: Geoffrey C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Onyemelukwe
authors.forename: Bolanle O P
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Musa
authors.forename: Aliyu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Babadoko
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human; D006801:Humans; D009549:Nigeria; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000276:immunology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies